Treat your Father to a Healthy Cookout

Father's Day is just around the corner. Skip the tie and cook him up a healthy meal. Give the gift of good health to your Dad and celebrate him by throwing a Healthy Father's Day Cookout! Think simple.

For starters, whip up Taco Dip, Pita Chips, and fresh cut vegetables, while the family waits for the main course to finish.

Toss your Dad's favorite vegetables (mushrooms, zucchini, red onions) into a mixing bowl with one teaspoon of olive oil, salt and pepper then cook them on the grill until softened. Easy! 

For the entrée, try our H3 Teriyaki Pork Tenderloin Kabobs. Between the sweet Teriyaki Sauce, salty and tender pork, this dish is always a hit! Don't forget to add a few vegetables to bulk up each skewer.

Now, onto dessert. Grilled pineapple goes a very long way. Toss chopped pineapple on your grill, remove and drizzle with dark chocolate.  You will be thrilled with this sweet, juicy, treat.

Remember, the entire day is for your Dad so keep your meal simple. Instead of spending hours on a laborious meal, make an easy meal on the grill all the while enjoying time with your family.

For more grilling tips, read Chef Jen's posts Healthy Grilling Tips Pt. 1 and Healhty Grilling Tips Pt. 2

[caption id="attachment_6061" align="alignright" width="420" caption="Teriyaki Pork Tenderloin Kebabs"][/caption]

Healthy Gifts For Dad

Looking for a last minute Father’s Day gift? Give dad a gift that will benefit his health this year. Here are a few ideas that will get dad moving in the healthy direction:

Tools. Don’t overlook the classic father’s day gift of a power tool. Every hour spent in the garage working hard on his new project, in one less hour spent sitting or watching television. Turn his summer project into something you can get in on too. Try redecorating a room, have him build a fence while you work on the garden, create shelving for an area in the house that needs cleaning out. Get creative and above all, get each other moving!

Healthy Vacation. Is dad in much need of a vacation? Send him to a place with lots of outdoor activities and opportunities to relax. A trip to Hilton Head is a great example J. If you’re planning a stay-cation, have fun at your local amusement park or go for a couple rounds of miniature golf. Both activities include lots of walking and family fun. Make dad a healthy lunch before you go so he’s not tempted by the greasy, fatty foods often found at these places.

Sporting Equipment. Anything from golf clubs to a bat and glove make great Father’s Day gifts. These activities also warrant some bonding time the whole family can enjoy.

Cooking Supplies. We all know the saying, “the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.” Well, load dad up with some nice cooking tools such as a knife set, cooking utensils, a healthy cook book—or go all out and surprise dad with a new grill. If the man in your life likes to cook, give him the tools necessary to make delicious, healthy meals.

Fitness Gadget. If your dad is a gadget freak then he’ll love a new fitness gadget for Father’s Day! Get dad a new heart rate monitor, Garmin travel watch, Fitbit or piece of exercise equipment. Here’s an article with a few of year’s most popular fitness gadgets.  

Whatever you end up getting dad this year, just make sure it not only comes from the heart but is good for it too. Wishing all the fathers out there a wonderful Father’s Day!